Page 59 - Complete Cat Care: How To Keep Your Cat Healthy and Happy

vomiting can result in dehydration.
Offer a tiny amount of bland food
and a little water every hour but
seek urgent veterinary attention
if your kitten or cat continues
to vomit.
Regurgitation is “sicking up”
of food shortly after eating. The
food will be slimy but relatively
unaltered in appearance. (By
contrast, vomiting is the expulsion
of partially digested food.)
Occasional regurgitation is not
a problem but, if it happens
repeatedly, it could indicate a
blockage in the throat or the
esophagus (gullet), which will need
veterinary attention.
57
Diarrhea △ Medicine for constipation cat to the vet, who may detect a
Like vomiting, diarrhea is a natural Laxatives, which relieve constipation, may be constipated bowel when examining
supplied as a paste, gel, or liquid, which you
way for a cat’s body to expel feed to the cat on your finger or by syringe. Only his abdomen. The vet may also
harmful substances. After give medicines prescribed by a vet. radiograph the intestines and
a single bout, offer tiny amounts carry out blood and urine tests
of bland food every hour but give gradually, by mixing it with the to determine the cause of the Digestive disorders
plenty of water. original food in increasing constipation. Treatment depends
proportions, so that the gut can on the cause. Often, the vet will
“Severe or persistent adjust to it. Another common prescribe a laxative. Severe cases
problem is intolerance to lactose,
may need surgery or an enema.
diarrhea can be a sugar in cows’ milk. Avoid giving
dangerous, leaving milk—adult cats do not need it, and
young kittens should have only
your cat weak and their mother’s milk. Dangers of
dehydrated.” Constipation gastroenteritis

A healthy cat should defecate about Gastroenteritis is inflammation of
the stomach and intestinal lining.
Repeated episodes of diarrhea may once a day. Constipation is the It may be caused by parasite
indicate parasite infestation (see infrequent passing of feces, or infestation (see p.53); infection,
such as feline panleukopenia (see
p.53), a digestive problem, or an passing of hard, dry stools. It is p.64); or an immune system
underlying disorder such as kidney common in older cats, especially reaction. Some cases are mild,
or liver disease. Drugs, such as those that swallow a lot of hair but severe cases may result in
some antibiotics, can also cause when grooming. Other causes profuse vomiting, “dry heaving”
diarrhea as a side effect. Get in include dehydration, a spine or (where the cat tries to vomit but
nothing comes up), and diarrhea.
touch with your vet if your cat pelvic injury, or a nerve disorder. The cat may become dangerously
suffers from severe or persistent A constipated cat may crouch dehydrated, and there may be
diarrhea because it can be repeatedly but fail to pass feces. If blood in the vomit or diarrhea. If
dangerous, leaving your cat weak the problem persists for more than your cat develops gastroenteritis,
and dehydrated. One common a day, the cat may lose his appetite, contact your vet. In the event of a
severe case, call the vet at once.
cause of diarrhea is a rapid change look weak and uncomfortable, and
in diet. Introduce any new food vomit. You will need to take your

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